When your child is having vision issues, they may be unable to distinguish them immediately. Unfortunately, if these issues are left unaddressed, the problems may result in a variety of issues, including headaches, difficulty in school, and poor coordination. Luckily, with a few eye health care tips, such as the ones below, parents can equip themselves with the knowledge to assist their children in protecting and/or improving their vision.
Schedule Routine Eye Examinations
It is encouraged for children to start going to an eye doctor before they start attending school. This first eye examination will assist in the determination of whether the child has any vision issues that are able to be improved with glasses. In the event that your child has perfect eyesight, another vision checkup will not be necessary for at least two years. However, if eyeglasses are needed, the eye doctor may suggest that an additional exam is needed in 12 months to check in on the child's progress.
Limit Screen Time
With today's popularity of smartphones, computers, tablets, and televisions, it is more important than ever before for parents to monitor their children's screen time. These devices emit a blue light that can have a detrimental effect on children's eyes, resulting in a variety of problems like digital eye strain. When children continue to use these devices, the extended exposure may even result in early nearsightedness.
Practice Eye Safety
Your child may have 20/20 vision, but it is still imperative that your child's eyes are properly protected from potential injury. Eye-related injuries are extremely common in children, particularly when they play with projectile toys or actively participate in specific types of sports. To help prevent the risk of injury, as a parent, you should encourage—or ultimately require—your child to wear the necessary protective eyewear when they are playing sports like baseball and lacrosse and also discourage the use of toys that could potentially do damage to your eyes and vision.
The aforementioned tips will go a long way in maintaining proper eye care and health for your child. However, the best thing that you can do to protect your child's vision is to find a trusted ophthalmologist in your local area who has experience working with children. An ophthalmologist can serve as an invaluable resource when it comes to eye health. If you need to schedule an eye examination for your child, contact a clinic in your area.
For more information, contact a clinic like Idaho Eye and Laser Center.
Share4 November 2019
Hi, I'm Deena, and as I neared middle age, I noticed that my eyesight wasn't as good as it used to be. I first started out needing reading glasses to read the small print in magazines, and then a few months later, I had to put them on to see the computer screen clearly. I knew by then that my eyes were getting worse and that I needed to do something quickly. I made an appointment with the optometrist and the doctor gave me an eye exam. Even though my sight wasn't as bad as I had feared, I still needed prescription glasses. I love my new glasses because I can actually see now. I have put together a lot of information about eye problems, eye tests and even various types of eye wear so that others don't wait as long as I did to see the eye doctor.